Sunday, April 9, 2017

Palm Sunday 2017

Palm Sunday
of the Lord's Passion

Jesus Takes up His Cross
Second Station of the Cross
Assumption Church, Fairfield CT*

Today'sreading of the Passion of our Lord is the
highlight of the Church year. This year we heard St. Matthew's account of the
Passion. Next year we will hear St. Mark's account and the year after we will
have St. Luke's account. Of course, on Good Friday we always have the Passion
according to St. John. Although each of the Evangelists approaches the life of
Christ in a different way, they draw very close to each other when it comes to
the Passion.

The narrative of the Passion
which we have just heard seems like a great drama with a cast of characters
with whom we can all identify. If we could be in the drama, what role would we
play? Would we be like the disciples who fell asleep in the Garden of
Gethsemane? or would we be part of the crowd who mocked and taunted Jesus only
a short time after cheering Him and waiving palm branches.

Maybe we would like a more
important role. We could be Pontius Pilate who condemned Jesus, or Peter who
denied Him, or even Judas who betrayed Him. Still, it is clear from today's
readings that we are supposed to play the part of Jesus, Himself. The Church
has always recognized that in His Passion and Death our Lord gave us an example
which we must follow. Many times during His time on Earth Jesus said,
"Follow Me”. Many times He urged us to take up our cross and follow Him.

Today's readings show that it
is through the practice of humility and self sacrifice that we come to follow
the Lord. Matthew begins his account of the Passion at the Last Supper. There
Jesus told the disciples that He would give up His body and blood for us all,
and that they should share in this sacrifice. When He asks us at every Mass to
eat His Body and drink His Blood, he is also asking us to share in His
sacrifice on Calvary.

Today's first reading is
about humility and self sacrifice.

I gave my back to those who beat me,

my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;

my face I did not shield

from buffets and spitting.

St. Paul in the letter to the
Philippians says that Jesus "humbled Himself, becoming obedient to the
point of death, even death on a cross."

This is the point of all of
our little sacrifices during Lent. Everything that we gave up or did was to
remind ourselves that we do not live just for ourselves.Humility means giving up our own pride and
ambition for the sake of others. Didn't our Lord say that we must deny
ourselves in order to save ourselves? that we must lose our life in order to
find it?

Our Lord was a great teacher
but the Passion shows us that He taught by example.

###

Reading 1. Isaiah 50: 4-7

Reading II. Philippians 2: 6-11

Gospel. Matthew 26: 14--27: 66 (the Passion).

* Image by Melissa DeStefano. For the other Station images by Melissa, follow this link to Roots of Catholicism.